[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12910]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               IN CELEBRATION OF THE IRON MEN HEALTH FAIR

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 15, 2016

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of 
the Iron Men Health Fair being held on Saturday, September 17, 2016 
from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Central Georgia Technical College in 
Macon, Georgia. Hosted by Macon-Bibb County, the Macon Chapter of the 
Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition, and their partners, the Iron Men 
Health Fair is the manifestation of Middle Georgia's mission to improve 
health and wellness for men. Throughout the duration of the fair, the 
men of Middle Georgia will have access to a plethora of health and 
wellness resources, including screenings for glucose, hypertension, 
cholesterol, vision, hearing, body mass index, HIV, and prostate 
cancer.
  In recognition of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, the Iron Men 
Health Fair will help in the fight to defeat prostate cancer--the 
second leading cause of cancer death among men in the United States. 
Prostate cancer is a complex disease that can take several forms. Some 
forms of this cancer are non-life-threatening, but other forms can be 
extremely aggressive and lethal. These subtypes of prostate cancer take 
more than 29,000 lives each year. In Georgia alone, 5,000 men will be 
diagnosed with prostate cancer this year and approximately 1,000 of 
those men will die from the disease. For African-American men, prostate 
cancer is 1.6 times more common and 2.4 times more deadly than for 
Caucasian men.
  Although prostate cancer has been a story of heartbreak and tragedy 
for so many, it can also be one of great hope. If diagnosed early, men 
with prostate cancer have a 100 percent survival rate five years out. 
And at ten years after diagnosis, 98 percent of men who were diagnosed 
early remain alive and have the opportunity to lead healthy, happy 
lives for years to come.
  This year, President Barack Obama has again declared September to be 
National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. This month is meant to be a 
time dedicated to being aware, staying informed, and making proactive 
decisions in the fight against this all-too-common disease. According 
to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, early detection is the key to 
defeating this disease, especially for men over the age of 40. The Iron 
Men Health Fair embodies that mission. No cancer, especially prostate 
cancer, should be considered as a death sentence. With early detection, 
prostate cancer can be a curable and treatable disease. Getting tested 
regularly for prostate cancer and taking one's health seriously should 
not be taboo for any man. Every American deserves the chance to lead a 
happy, healthy life.
  During the month of September, we want to honor the lives we have 
lost to prostate cancer, highlight how far we have come, and redouble 
our efforts in beating prostate cancer once and for all through 
continued awareness and breakthrough research. The Iron Men Health Fair 
collaborators' commitment to ending prostate cancer is a worthwhile one 
as they had over 300 men attend and participate in the fair last year. 
The fair may very well play an important role in saving the lives of 
many men this year.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing the 
Iron Men Health Fair, Macon-Bibb County, the Macon Chapter of the 
Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition, and their partners for their 
commitment to promoting prostate cancer awareness as well as the 
general health and wellbeing for the men of Middle Georgia.

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